Azura - Likes and Dislikes

[CASPALL]

These are MY own personal likes and dislikes.

 

I liked:

1 - The staff who were very friendly, helpful,polite,cheery and wore nice uniforms

2 - The food . It was of a very high standard and usually very hot

3 - The crockery ,cutlery and glassware were nice and contemporary -The champagne and other glasses in Blue Bar really good.

4 - The house white Pinot Grigio was excellent and cheap

5 - Our inside cabin which was comfortable and had good hanging space.Loved the tea and coffee facilities Our steward kept it spotless

6 - Sindhu -excellent at £15pp supplement. As good as the food in the London restaurant!

7 - Meeting 2 new friends - a real bonus

8 - Planet Bar for pre dinner drinks as it was

quiet (2nd sitting dining) and cool - great air con in there

10- To see a large number of ladies so well dressed on smart casual nights - lots of dresses.Well done girls!

 

I disliked:

1 - The Library as it was far too small, but a pretty room

2 - The self service restaurant servery - it was badly laid out - it was difficult to get a hot plate as they were in the corner. People couldn't help going in all directions.

3 - The impossibity of trying to get a table at peak times (we started going late for breakfast and lunch) and al fresco tables being taken up by people reading their books

4 - The dancing happening in the Atrium. I would prefer there to be a specific room for this

5 - The lack of sunbed space and the people who still selfishly reserve them

6 - The Big Screen - ( I struggled with the noise with my balance probs with mal de mer and found walking around that area difficult)

7 - The smell of cooking oil coming from the outdoor Burger eatery

8 - The swimming pools - always busy and the main one too deep for me

9 - A high percentage of men on smart casual night wearing "not smart - but casual" clothes.

10-The man who whistled on a waiter to take his order

11-All those people who had no social skills

12-P&O staff allowing people to eat in the restaurant at lunchtime when they are dressed for the poolside.

13 The loud high pitched voices of some staff - obligatory for P&O ents officers?

 

Caryl

[Rum Rat]

Not cruised on Azura, not likely to, toooooooooooooooooooooooo big, tooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many passengers, but when we were wined and dined on there on a 'look over' your comments ... '1 - The Library as it was far too small, but a pretty room' ...... jumped out at us as well. Broom Cuboard conversion at the last minute? "Oh my god, we have forgotten to put a library in"

 

Mike

[CASPALL]

It really isn't much bigger than our front lounge!

I did think it would be a nice room to sit and have pre dinner drink in - if there wasn't anyone else in at the same time!

Caryl

[jeanlyon]

Caryl - agree with all your likes and dislikes, except one. The knives!! They were terrible. They were very heavy at the handle end and would constantly fall off your plate, fall off the tray. All you heard in the buffet was the sound of dropping knives.

 

Otherwise couldn't disagree with anything.

 

Jean

[CASPALL]

funny knives right enough, but I got the hang of them after the first few times. The buffet trays were awful - so big it was hard to get by people without turning them longways!

Caryl

[jeanlyon]

The trays were weird as well. No edges, so things fell off them. And also agree, the buffet was laid out so people came in from both ends and tried to go out from either the same end or the other end and not through the middle. Disarrrrrrrrrrrrster

[LibraLass41]

Fair points Caryll. I've been on Azura twice now, and can agree with a lot of what you have said.

 

I liked the GlassHouse at lunchtime on a Seaday, The food was superb, and it was a quiet getaway from the pools .

 

I loved the idea of 3 performances of the theatre shows. This meant we could see a show before dinner, and go to a caberet performance after, so lots more entertainment than ALL the other ships in the fleet.

 

We didn't have many really hot seadays so sunbed situation and the sea screen didn't bother us atall. But the retreat was fully booked all cruise -poor cruisers paid all that money to sit under cloudy skies, bet they didn't get a refund.

 

I like Azura a lot, and compared to all the other ships in the fleet, I would go on her again.

I've seen them all. She is pretty good as far as I'm concerned.

 

I'm on Aurora for the 3rd time on Saturday 27th, will be interesting going on her again after seeing bigger ships and newer ships since - Azura,Ventura, Eclipse, Independence, she has a fond place in my heart, but we will see if she still comes up tothe mark after seeing more ships since.

[CASPALL]

I was wondering when you were off Sue.

I hope you have a good time.

The way P&O marketed Azura made me think that she would be a bigger more modern version of Aurora and Oriana. Not! I liked Ventura and yet the 2 ships are almost the same. The thing is, it's the people on the ship who make - or break a cruise!

I'm off on Ventura for 28nts = should be interesting!

 

Caryl

[jeanlyon]

I'm on Arcadia next, with only Artemis before, so will be interesting.

[boozer21]

But was there a reasonable selection of up to date books? When I go away I usually take at least half a dozen books but can't afford to give up the weight allowance.

[CASPALL]

Lots of murder mystery books, autobiographies,trashy romances - get in there first before the best ones go. Not enough room for a big selection. They SELL books and magazines too of course - bookshop nearby.

 

Tip - Only 5kg hand luggage so wear a coat/jacket with good size pockets and FILL up with whatever! You can easily get another 4 or 5kg that way!!!

[pkpon]

Was on the Azura transatlantic and the libarian said that at the next refit the library was going to be switched with the bookstore. So it will be the same as the one on the Ventura.

 

Enjoyed the Cruise except the ship felt very crowded for the first few days because of the inclement weather. For the 'Name That Tune' quiz in the Blue Bar it was so busy that people were sitting on the floor.

[DamianG]

Hi Caryl

Thanks for the list, I love it. It reminds me of our experience of Ventura earlier this year, lots plusses and minuses, best cabin ever, loved Ramblas, East and Metropolis, disliked the ignorance of the minimum dress code by a few, disliked the sheer volumes of passengers etc. We've been on all the P&O ships except Azura so we'll have a good idea what to expect if we do go on her. We return to Oceana next week after a 4 year break. Hope it hasn't changed too much.

All the best

Damian

[CASPALL]

I hope Oceana is full of the nicest people for you Damian. Have a great time.

Caryl

[Juju Mary]

Thanks for the list

Would agree with most of your comments particularly the design of the upstairs cafeteria and the other passengers manners/numbers etc. But we probably should have realised that the ship would have been so busy going in school holidays.

Would also add that Seventeen and Sindhu were both lovely with excellent service and food. Sitting eating outside at the back of the ship at sunset has to be the best!

Freedom dining was effective and rare that you had to wait, but down side was that you don't tend to get to know regular waiting staff. Menus were a bit boring and seemed to have a 70's slant e.g devilled kidneys

[Raymondo111]

I think Caryl summed it up very well, we recently came back from Azura's maiden Caribbean cruise and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves despite the rain that we had in Aruba, Curacao and on the last day in Barbados. As a group of 7 we were on Freedom dining and never had a problem getting a table at around 7 -7.15 and we always asked for either table 94 or 98 as the 2 waiters JiJi and Ranjeet were absolutely brilliant, nothing too much trouble and always asking if we wanted any more food. We only had one special meal in 17 on my wife's birthday but the service and food was impeccable and even my daughter surprised us as she tried things that she had never eaten before including spinach. This was our first P & O cruise having previously sailed on the Emerald Princess last year but food and entertainment wise P & O were much better, the only bad act was a comedian/magician called Phil Butler I think who was dire and quite a few people walked out of the Manhattan Show Bar during his act. Tribute acts were really good and the other comedian George King or 'Kingy' as he is known was brilliant, both shows where he performed were packed and had everybody in fits of laughter.

 

Raymondo111